An old charge doesn't have to follow you forever
Alabama law allows many criminal records to be expunged, meaning the record of the charge is removed from public view and, for most purposes, you can lawfully say it didn't happen. Employers running background checks, landlords screening tenants, and licensing boards reviewing applications stop seeing it. For a charge that ended years ago, expungement is often the highest-value legal work a person can buy, and this firm handles it at a flat fee.
Who qualifies
Eligibility depends on how the case ended and, for convictions, what the offense was and how much time has passed. In general terms, Alabama's expungement statute covers:
- Charges that were dismissed, no-billed by a grand jury, or ended in acquittal, which are the most straightforward cases
- Charges dismissed after completing a diversion program, such as drug court or pretrial diversion, after the required waiting period
- Certain misdemeanor convictions, after completing the sentence and a waiting period, for offenses the statute doesn't exclude
- Certain felony convictions in limited circumstances, generally requiring a pardon and exclusion of violent and other listed offenses
The exclusions and waiting periods are technical, and they changed significantly when Alabama expanded the law in recent years, so plenty of people who were told "no" years ago are eligible today. The only way to know is to review your actual record, which is exactly how a consultation here starts.
How the process works
An expungement is a petition filed in the circuit court of the county where the charge happened, supported by certified records, with a filing fee set by statute for each case expunged. The district attorney gets a chance to object, and some petitions are decided on the papers while others get a hearing. When the order is granted, the records are removed from public databases and sealed. The firm handles the record gathering, the petition, and any hearing, and quotes the whole job as a flat fee up front.
Why bother if the case was dismissed?
Because dismissed doesn't mean invisible. The arrest and the charge still show up on background checks, and explaining "it was dismissed" in a job interview is a conversation nobody wants to have. Expungement removes the conversation entirely.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out if I'm eligible?
Bring what you know about the charge, even if it's just the county and the year. The firm pulls the record, applies the current statute, and gives you a direct yes or no.
How long does an expungement take?
Most petitions resolve within a few months of filing, depending on the court's schedule and whether the district attorney objects.
Does an expungement cost a lot?
The firm charges a flat fee quoted in writing, plus the court's statutory filing fee per case. You'll know the full number before anything is filed.